Nail file or similar instrument and carrier therefor



June l0, 1930. c. A. TEAI., .JR 1,763,274

NAIL FILE OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENT AND CARRIER THEREFOR Filed Deo. 5, 1929 INVENTR Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES A.. TEAL, JR., F `J'ENKINTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA Application filed December 5, 1929. Serial No. 411,741.

The object of this invention is to provide a nail file or similar instrument and a carrier therefor of novel and inexpensive construction which will present an attractive appearance when assembled together, which will permit the file and carrier to be easily and quickly connected and disconnected and which, when assembled or connected will present a structure in which the carrier forms lo a guard for the file to prevent the file from causing damage during the handling and carrying thereof when it is connected to the carrier.

The invention consists of the elements and the combinations of them hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a front viewof a nail file and a carrier therefor, showing one form of embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a back view of the carrier and nail file.

Figure 3 is an edge view thereof.

Figure 4.7is: a view of the nail file disconnected from the carrier.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section through the pocket of the carrier, on line 5-5 of Fig. ll, showing the pointed end of the nail file g@ in the pocket.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the carrier and 3 the instrument carried thereby which, as herein illustrated, is in the form of a nail file.

The carrier 2 is of flat, elongated construction and it comprises two plate-like elements 4 and 6 formed of Celluloid or another similar and suitable substance. The two platelike elements 4 and 6 are, preferably.V though 4o not essentially, of similar size and outline and they are secured together by a suitable cement well known in the art, so as to present a flat elongated body as clearly shown in the drawings.

i5 One end portion of the element 4 `has a transverse slit 7 cut therein. The ends of the slit 7 terminate in spaced relation to the lateral edges of the element 4, and the body of the element 4 extending from the slit toward the adjacent end of the carrier 1s bulged outwardly and forms a pocket 8 having an entrance opening surrounded by the wall of the slit 7 and having the side thereof opposite to the side thereof which is formed by the bulged portion of the element 4 closed by the other element 6.

. The end portion of the carrier 2 opposite to the end portion thereof which is provided with the pocket 8 is provided with a compressible, resilient Lhead 9 formed on the free end of a neck which is fixed to and projects outwardly from the same flat side of the carrier 2 from which the bulged portion of the element 4 forming the pocket 8 projects.

The head 9 may be of any suitable construction for its intended purpose. As herein illustrated, it is in the form 4of the compressible, resilient head of the well known snap fastener such as i'susedto connect'parts of gloves and parts of dresses.

rlhe instrument or nail file 3 comprises an elongated, plate-like body formed of steel and having one of its end portions pointed and adapted to be insertedinto and removed from the pocket 8 of the carrier 2, and having a portion of one of its fiat sides roughened to provide a filing surfacelO, and having a hole or opening 11 in its opposite or blunt end portion for the reception of the head 9 on the carrier 2, as will be presently explained. Y

rlhat portion of the flat surface of the steel body of the nail file 3 which extends from the roughened area 10 to the blunt end thereof is entirely covered by a plate or sheet of celluloid 12, and the opposite fiat surface of the steel body of the nail ile 3 is entirely covered, excepting a small region of the pointed end portion thereof, by a plate or sheet of celluloid 13. The pla-tes or sheets of VCelluloid 1,2 and 13 have holes or openings therein the same size as and in registry with the hole or opening 11 in the body of the nail tile. The plates or sheets l2 and 13 are secured Vto the steel body of the nail file by roughening the surto the opposing rougheiied surfaces of the file body and by placing the assembled parts in a suitable press and operating the press to press the parts firmly together.

The head 9 and the co-operating Wall of the opening 11 in the nail file 3 form a means for detaehably connecting the blunt end poi'- tion of the file to the adjacent end portion of the carrier 2. The normal diameter of the head 9 is slightly greater than the diameter of the hole or opening l1 so that when the blunt end portion of the nail file is siiapj ed over theI head 9, the head will be compressed as it passes through the opening, and, thereafter, it will expand as it emerges from the opening outwardly of the outer flat side of the nail file and hold the file and carrier together.

The steel body of the nail file 3 is much stiffer than the flexible body of the carrier 2 and the end portion of the carrier 2 Which is provided with the head 9 extends outwardly, at 41, from the blunt end of the nail file, as clearly shown in the drawings, for purposes presently explained.

In applying the nail file 3 to the carrier 2 the rougliened surface 10 thereof is faced inwardly toward the carrier 2 and the pointed end portion of the lile is inserted into the pocket 8. Thereafter the hole 11 is brought into registry with the head 9 and the blunt end portion of the file is snapped over the head 9 by pressing the file and carrier together. This done the file is retained in place on the carrier 2 by the Walls of the pocket 8 and by the head 9.

Vhen it is desired to remove the lile 3 from the carrier 2, the file and carrier are grasped between the thumb and index finger under the central portion of the carriei` 2 and the thumb over the central portion of the file 2S. The thumb of the right hand is then applied to the projecting end portion la of the carrier and the carrier is flexed or sprung downwardly from its normal position to the position shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. :5, by the pressure of the right hand against the grasp of the left hand holding the central portions of the lile and carrier together, thereby snapping the head 9 out of the opening 11 by reason of the steel body of the lile 3 being much stiffer than the carrier 2 and resisting the pressure of the right hand to al much greater extent than the flexible body of the carrier. After the head 9 has been thus snapped out of the opening 11, the pointed end portion of the file 3 4may be withdrawn from the pocket 8 and t-he file removed from the carrier for use.

After the body of the carrier 2 has been sprung into the condition shown by dot-anddash lines in Fig. 3 and thereafter released, the body of the carrier will iesuine its normal condition, shown by full lines in Fig. 5, by its natural inherent elasticity.

Only that part of the pointed end portion of the nail file which enters the pocket 8 is not covered by the sheet of Celluloid 13, and, therefore, the adjacent end of the sheet 13 forms a shoulder on the nail lile 3 for engagement with the Wall of the pocket 8 to limit the extent of the movement of the file when its pointed end portion is inserted into the pocket sufficiently to bring its opening 11 into registry with the head 9 on the carrier 2.

The Celluloid forming the elements 4 and 6 of the cairier 2 and forming the plates or sheets 1Q and 13 secured to the instrument or nail ile 3 are all of the same character and color and present a very attractive appearance.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of an elongated carrier comprising two plate-like elements secured together, one element having an outwardly bulged portion providing a pocket having an entrance opening and having one of its sides closed by the other element, an instrument comprising an elongated, platelilie body having one end portion thereof inserted into said pocket, and means spaced from said pocket for detacliably connecting the other end portion of said body to said carrier.

.2. The combination of an elongated carrier comprising tivo plate-like elements sen cured together, one of said elements having a transverse slit therein the ends of which terminate in spaced relation to the lateral edges of the element, the element having the slit also having a bulged portion extending from one side of the slit providing a pocket having an entrance opening and having one of its sides closed by the other element, an instrument comprising an elongated, platelike body having one end portion thereof inseited into Asaid pocket, and means spaced from said pocket for detachably connecting the other end portion of said body to said carrier.

3. The combination of an elongated, liexible, plate-like carrier having one end portion thereof provided with a pocket and having a coinpressible, resilient head projecting .from the other end portion thereof, and an instrument comprising an elongated, platelike body having one end portion thereof iiiserted into said pocket and having an opening in the other end portion thereof of less diameter than the normal diameter of the head, said head extending through and beyond said opening, and said body being stiffer than said carrier.

4v. The combination of an elongated, iexible, plate-like carrier having one end portion thereof provided With a pocket and having a compressible, resilient head projecting 'from the other end portion thereof, and an instrument comprising an elongated, platelike body having one end portion thereof inserted into said pocket andidiaving an opening in the other end portion thereof of less diameterl than the normal diameter of the head, said head extending through and be- `yond said opening, said body being stiffer than said carrier, and said carrier having an edge portion extending outwardly from one edge of said body adjacent to said head.

5. The combination of an elongated7 flexible carrier comprising two plate-like elements secured together, one element having an outwardly bulged portion providing a pocket having an entrance opening and having one of its sides closed by the other element, said carrier being provided with a compressible, resilient head projecting therefrom and spaced from said pocket, and an instrument comprising an elongated, plate-like body having one end portion thereof inserted into said pocket and having an opening in the other end portion thereof of less diameter than the normal diameter o'f the head, said head extending through and beyond said opening, and said body being stiffer than said carrier.

6. The combination of an elongated, flexible carrier comprising two plate-like elements secured together, one element having an outwardly bulged portion providing a pocket having an entrance opening and having one of its sides closed by the other element, said carrier being provided with ya compressible, resilient head projecting therefrom and spaced from said pocket, and an instrument comprising an elongated, plate-like body having one end portion thereof inserted into said pocket and having an opening in the other end portion thereof of less diameter than the normal diameter of the head, said head extending through and beyond said opening, said body being stiffer than said carrier, and said carrier having an edge portion extending outwardly from one edge of said body adjacent to said head.

7. The combination of an elongated, platelike carrier having one end portion thereof provided with a pocket and having a conpressible7 resilient head projecting from the other end portion thereof, and an instrument comprising an elongated, plate-like body having one end portion thereof inserted into said pocket and having an opening in the other end portion thereof of less diameter than the normal diameter of the head, said head extending through and beyond said opening, and said body having a shoulder adapted to engage a wall of said pocket and limit the movement of the instrument when it is inserted into the pocket.

8. A nail file and carrier therefor comprising two elements formed of Celluloid and a steel file body interposed between said elements, one of'said elements being secured to the file body and the other of said elements constituting a carrier for the ilebody and 

